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'I felt homesick for a country that wasn't my own.' (travel writer Bill Bryson tells of moving to US in spring 1995)(Revelations)

Article Abstract:

Travel writer Bill Bryson was aware almost immediately that he had made a serious mistake in moving from the UK to the US in spring 1995, even though he is American. He very soon began to feel homesick for a country that was not his own, and felt that the US was too familiar for him. He came to realize that he is a natural outsider, and accepted that he would have to try to settle down in the US. He began to enjoy the great differences in scale between the US and the UK, and spent a whole summer walking the Appalachian Trail.

'It is in the truth of the minutiae that you begin to build the possibly large.' (theatrical director Jonathan Miller tells of being given a microscope)(Revelations)

Article Abstract:

Being given a microscope in 1945 at the age of 13 was an extremely significant experience, according to theatrical director Jonathan Miller. He discovered a whole new world, and went on to become extremely interested in biology. This in turn prompted him to qualify as a doctor. He later left medicine to work in the theatre, but believes that there are many parallels between theatre direction and science. In particular, he has always been motivated by a desire to give high priority to the apparently trivial.

'I felt so guilty but I didn't know of what.' (Paris Panther tells of his experiences of surviving IRA bomb in Feb 1989)(Revelations)

Article Abstract:

Paris Panther, who survived an IRA bomb attack on a bus in London, England, in Feb 1989, initially failed to appreciate the full extent of what had happened to him. He returned to work, but some time later began to experience delayed shock. He stop going out, and withdrew into a fantasy world. He eventually began to recover through writing, and this led to 'Performing Journey,' a series of monologues. However, he still has a strong sense of the precarious nature of his existence.